Tired And Happy

This was without question the best day that we have spent outside this year.  Temperatures near or above 70 degrees just made everything seem right.  My first task was to carefully cut a wheelbarrow load of conservation roses and wild berry canes.  At the top of the lane we have a decent start on a border stone wall.  Transplanted Periwinkle is spreading nicely but briers make the area look nasty.  The briers are nearly gone and a drive up the hill will now make a great first impression on all who see it.

This is the first Pickwick Crocus blossom of the season.  Freshly open today, this may just be the best picture that we have ever taken.

This other first flower is either Glory of The Snow or Giant Glory of The Snow.  These two names are on either side of the same stone label.  With the ground ice finally disappearing, we began the huge task of cutting away Siberian Iris leaves.  The how to book for these plants recommends cutting the foliage in the Fall but the author lives in a southern state.  We believe that the crown of dead leaves insulates the plant parts from our severe Winters.  Our timing is perfect since no new growth is present.  We have far too many plants so some trimming will require working around new growth. 

We used the truck to make the trip to clean out bird nest boxes.  That required a 1.8 mile drive so the truck was a big help.  Interesting rocks were spotted and the truck provided the means to move them to the developing shade garden at the other end of the property.  The pictured rock is unusually heavy for its size.  It is obviously not native bedrock.  It gives every indication of having been in a marine environment.  The last glacier that passed by could have moved this rock from near Syracuse where salt mines and limestone are common. This interesting rock will look out of place edging one of the paths in our shade garden but we did find it on this land.

We took advantage of an end of season sale to purchase a new garden bench.  It surely displays the structure of business in the world today.  A company located in Texas is responsible for the design and delivery of this product.  The wood is similar to teak but grows in Vietnam.  Milling and partial assembly happened there.  Individual pieces are no larger  than they have to be.  The bench is solid but surprisingly light for its size.  The weathered teak chairs nearby are more than twenty-five years old and each is heavier than the new bench.  Working together, Becky and I moved the assembled bench from the basement to the patio using cooperation and a hand truck.  Both the bench and the people made the move injury free and no blue smoke ever filled the air.  They say that an old dog cannot learn new tricks but based on what transpired today anything is possible.

Hot To Trot

Today was promised to be clear and warm with temperatures climbing into the mid fifties F.  Overnight was clear and cold.  We found heavy frost and frozen ground early on.  A group of turkeys working across our mowed field surprised us.  Previously we had seen only a single bird that appeared to be suffering as a possible result of the deep and lasting snow cover.  These seven birds were doing what turkeys do at this time of year.

Two of the males were in constant display for the several minutes that it took for the group to cross in front of us.  Fanned tail feathers, foot drumming and stiffened body feathers must require a great expenditure of energy over an unbelievably long period of time.  The top of the males featherless head appears swollen and bright blue.  His snood hangs down over his beak and is red.  A careful look at the first picture will find both of these bright colors.

Birds have made a number of adaptations in order to make flight possible.  Their sexual parts shrink and remain dormant for most of the year.  Extended courtship rituals are necessary to wake up the sleeping bits and get them ready to function.  Unlike many mammals, male turkeys are usually devoid of seed.  They need time to prepare for mating.  While these two males were shaking their tail feathers, the girls were simply feeding apparently ignoring the show around them.  Actually their parts were also waking up but the girls need tremendous amounts of nourishment in order to fuel the huge egg output that is soon to follow.  We were amazed at how quickly this breeding behavior followed  the melting of the snow.

A group of deer were also heading toward the rising sun.  The presence of the deer was closely watched by the hen turkeys but it caused them no alarm.  The deer mated last fall and are now feeding heavily to support their growing fawns.

Becky thought that she saw tree swallows flying about.  That meant that it was time for me to clean out the nest boxes.  Despite the continuing presence of snow, this bird has already claimed her home.  I could have disturbed her and cleaned out the old nest but decided to leave her alone.  There is plenty of room for her to build a new nest on top of the old nest.

The lower grass nest was started by bluebirds.  Our early drought last year interrupted their food supply.  They left our area in search of a better place to rear their young.  Wrens built their stick nest above the abandoned bluebird nest.  How those small birds cut and move all of those comparatively large sticks remains a puzzle.  It must be quite a chore to work the sticks through the hole in the nest box.

When I first found the beady tan fluff in a nest box, I thought that it was insulation pulled from the walls of our old beat camper.  Soaked with a winters worth of mouse urine, it did not invite close inspection.  We have since determined that milkweed parachutes are the actual source of the material.  The mice may eat the milkweed seeds before rolling up the parachutes for bedding.  Here again the effort expended to move all of that material up the post supporting the nest box is impressive.

The day was every bit as pleasant as forecast.  All but one of the nest boxes are ready for new tenants.  We go to bed tonight tired, a little sore and happy.   Garden cleanup continues and spinach will be planted tomorrow weather permitting.